VISITOR OPERATIONS MANAGER

Calanais; Callanish; On-site; GBP 36,000 - 40,000; Full time

Job summary

Calanais Visitor Centre in the United Kingdom is seeking a proactive Visitor Operations Manager to lead day-to-day delivery of an exceptional visitor experience. You will manage admissions, retail and catering, align staff rotas with budget, and drive world-class service at an internationally significant site.

Reporting to the General Manager, you will develop KPI-driven performance, maintain safety standards, and collaborate with heritage teams and partners to deliver memorable experiences

Qualifications

• At least 3 years’ experience in hospitality, tourism management, retail, or visitor/customer services in supervisory roles.
• Excellent customer service skills.
• Track record of achieving sales targets, team sales goals and KPIs.
• Ability to work calmly under pressure in a fast-paced environment.
• Proven experience in staff supervision and line management responsibilities.
• Strong organizational skills and analytical abilities.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Comfortable with admissions and ticketing systems.
• Experience in budget management.
• Proven experience working to risk assessments and managing visitor safety.

Responsibilities

• Recruit,train and supervise the visitor services team covering admissions, retail and catering.
• Develop team rotas aligning with budget and operational needs.
• Prepare payroll information for team members for Payroll.
• Foster a culture of care, kindness and professionalism within the team.
• Line management responsibility for the Visitor Services Assistants, Food and Beverage Supervisor and Food and Beverage Assistants.
• Line management including development reviews and regular catch ups.
• Supervise the visitor services team to undertake daily reconciliation for banking.
• Deliver regular training sessions to develop the visitor services team.
• Oversee daily operations including admissions, ticketing, catering, retail and function suite hire.
• Oversee the front-of-house food and beverage offer, ensuring service runs smoothly and hygiene standards.
• Provide a welcoming environment and world-class customer service.
• Respond promptly to visitor feedback, inquiries, complaints and compliments.
• Maintain and use the back of house EPOS system effectively.
• Work with Heritage Team to enhance visitor satisfaction and engagement.
• Liaise with stakeholders, partners and suppliers for excellent service.
• Create and maintain a safe, welcoming environment and escalate building issues.
• Support frontline operations during peak times and major events.
• Adhere to site risk assessments and ensure safety for staff and visitors.
• Represent Calanais Visitor Centre at events.
• Undertake first aid and fire marshal responsibilities.

Skills

3+ years experience in hospitality and

Tools

Admissions & ticketing systems

Job description

Calanais, United Kingdom | Posted on 02/11/2026

The Calanais Visitor Centre is looking for a passionate Visitor Operations Manager to lead the day-to-day delivery of an exceptional visitor experience at this internationally significant site.

Visitor Operations MANAGER, The Calanais VISITORCENTRE

ROLE OVERVIEW

Aboutthe Calanais Visitor Centre

Role Purpose

The Calanais Visitor Centre has reopened following an ambitious £10.1million redevelopment and now operates as a world-class, 5-star visitorattraction and thriving community hub. This is an exciting opportunity for anexperienced Front of House Manager to lead and inspire the visitor servicesteam, ensuring the delivery of exceptional customer service, achievingcommercial targets, and creating memorable experiences for all visitors.Working in a dynamic and fast-paced environment, you will play a key role inmaintaining the high standards and reputation of this internationallysignificant visitor destination.

Thisis a full-time role, working 40 hours per week April-September, 35 hours perweek October-March. Working hours will cover Monday-Saturday, so the successfulcandidate will need to be available to work weekends and bank holidays.

Thesalary for this post is £36,085-£40,209 per annum, which is negotiable dependent on experience.

Weare proud to be an equal opportunities employer that celebrates diversity,operates within a culture of respect, and creates a welcoming environment forall employees.

Reportsto: General Manager
Direct Reports: Visitor Services Assistants, Food and BeverageAssistants, Food and Beverage Supervisor.

Leadership and Staff Management

• Recruit,train and supervise the visitor services team covering admissions, retail andcatering.
• Developteam rotas aligning with budget and operational needs.
• Prepareaccurate payroll information for team members, to be passed onto Payroll.
• Fostera culture of care, kindness and professionalism within the team.
• Linemanagement responsibility for the Visitor Services Assistants, Food andBeverage Supervisor and Food and Beverage Assistants.
• Linemanagement responsibility including undertaking development reviews and regularcatch ups.
• Supervisethe visitor services team to undertake daily reconciliation procedures inpreparation for banking, identify discrepancies and investigate wherenecessary.
• Deliverregular training sessions to develop the visitor services team.

Visitor Experience and CustomerService

• Overseedaily operations including admissions, ticketing, catering, retail and functionsuite hire.
• Overseethe front-of-house food and beverage offer, ensuring the service runs smoothly,efficiently and complies with food hygiene standards.
• Supervisethe visitor services team to provide a welcoming environment for all visitors,providing world-class customer service.
• Respondpromptly to visitor feedback, inquiries, complaints and compliments.
• Maintain,update and effectively utilize the back of house EPOS system.
• Workalongside the Heritage Team to enhance visitor satisfaction and engagementacross the visitor programme.
• Liaisewith stakeholders such as external partners, community groups and suppliers, providingexcellent customer service.
• Takeresponsibility for creating and maintaining a safe, welcoming andwell-maintained environment for staff and visitors, promptly escalating anybuilding issues to the General Manager.
• Supportfrontline operations during peak times, major events, staff shortages andthroughout the quieter winter months.
• Adhereto and contribute to site risk assessments, ensuring a safe environment for allstaff and visitors.
• Representthe Calanais Visitor Centre at tourism, hospitality, or community events.
• Undertakefirst aid and fire marshal responsibilities.

Commercial

• Workalongside the General Manager to set sales targets and relevant KPIs for the visitorservices team.
• Worktowards agreed KPIs such as sales by department and contribution by department,preparing reports for the General Manager and the UnT Board.
• Work closely with theRetail Buyer and Visual Merchandiser to maximise retail sales opportunities,ensuring the shop remains well stocked, attractively presented, and maintainedto a high standard.
• Workwith the Food and Beverage Supervisor to ensure target margins are met withinthe front of house food and beverage offer.
• Trainand monitor the visitor services team to maximise visitor spend in all areas,including the use of upselling techniques.
• Workalongside the General Manager and Heritage Team on special events and theactivities programme.

Other

• Committo continuous professional development.
• Deputiseon behalf of the General Manager.
• Actas a primary key holder, including alarm call out responsibilities as part of ateam.

Requirements

PersonSpecification

Essential Skills, Experience andQualifications

• Atleast 3 years’ experience in hospitality, tourism management, retail, visitoror customer services in supervisory roles.
• Excellentcustomer service skills.
• Atrack record of achieving sales targets, team sales goals and KPIs.
• Abilityto work calmly under pressure and in a fast-paced environment.
• Provenexperience in staff supervision and line management responsibilities.
• Strongorganizational skills and analytical abilities.
• Excellentcommunication skills.
• Comfortablewith admissions and ticketing systems.
• Experiencein budget management.
• Provenexperience working to risk assessments and managing visitor safety.

Desirable Skills, Experience andQualifications

• Experiencein a catering role.
• Relevantqualifications in hospitality, heritage, or a tourism field, or similar.
• Foodsafety qualification.
• Experiencein leading and engaging volunteers.
• Firstaid qualification.

Personal Attributes

• Passionfor creating inclusive, memorable experiences for diverse audiences.
• Aninterest in heritage, culture and arts management.
• Abilityto work flexibly when required, including evenings, early mornings and acrossthe week Monday-Saturday.
• Passionateabout visitor services and customer engagement.
• Creativeand strategic thinker with a proactive approach to problem-solving.
• Adaptableand resilient in a fast-paced environment.
• Acollaborative team player who values inclusivity and diversity.
• Detail-orientedand committed to delivering high-quality work.

What We Offer

At the Calanais Visitor Centre, we believe in creating asupportive, rewarding, and inspiring workplace. We offer:

• FairWork Scotland Accreditation – Commitment to being a Living Wage employer andpromoting Fair Work principles.
• Personal& Professional Development – Ongoing training, leadershipdevelopment, and opportunities for career growth.
• Work-LifeBalance – A flexible and supportive work environment that prioritises employeewellbeing.
• Recognition& Reward – A culture that values contributions and celebrates achievements.
• AnInclusive & Supportive Workplace – A welcoming and dynamicenvironment where employees feel valued and empowered to grow.

If you are a driven and proactive leader with a passionfor customer service and operations management, we would love to hear from you.Join us in shaping the future of the Calanais Visitor Centre and ensuring itslegacy for generations to come.

Questions?

If you'd like an informal conversation before applying, we'd be delighted to hear from you. Please get in touch with Claire Smith, at Orbit Agency, for a confidential conversation: [e-mail]